UHV faculty members react to possible switch to Texas A&M System

Although many agree they don't know what will happen, a few University of Houston-Victoria faculty offered their opinion on what a possible university system switch could mean for their school.

Tuesday, Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, filed legislation requesting the school be moved from the UH System into the Texas A&M System.

"I think it could be really good," said Uppinder Mehan, a humanities professor who teaches English. "We have a vision of this school being a destination university. Although we don't know yet how A&M views what we want, we do know the UHV system is not as ready as we are."

Dagoberto Gilb, executive director of Centro Victoria and a tenured English professor, is most concerned about what the switch will mean for the dense Hispanic population his program attracts.

"I'm for whatever is good for the school, and what they call the school is less important," he said. "We represent a demographic that is the future of the country, and Geanie Morrison and A&M seem to want to advance that."

Other professors echo the desire for a school that puts academics first.

"They're both very good systems, I have to say," said Olga Chapa, assistant professor of management. "As long as the administration remains the same, I don't see a change except the name."

Faculty senate chair Jane Fry, an associate professor in the UHV School of Education & Human Development, declined to comment.